Angry Obama Abhors IRS Scandal, Dismisses Tax Agency’s Acting Chief
U.S. President Barack Obama moved to neutralize the stench of scandal swirling at the margins of his administration Wednesday night, firing the head of the IRS after the tax agency admitted its auditors unfairly targeted tea party groups.
Announcing the dismissal of Steven Miller as acting head of what is arguably the most detested branch of the U.S. government, a visibly angry Obama pledged further steps would follow to ensure the “inexcusable” breach of public trust would never happen again.
Miller learned last May of the probes of tax-exemption applications targeting a wide range of conservative political groups, but did not disclose the fact until last Friday, when he issued a public apology on behalf of the revenue agency.
The ensuing furor — coupled with rising Republican anger over the White House response to last September’s attack in Benghazi, Libya, and yet another scandal involving U.S. Justice Department snooping of The Associated Press — has the Obama administration on its heels.
Though the White House has maintained eye-rolling until now, accusing Republicans of seeking to attach the suffix “gate” to any moving object, the IRS story has now shifted to head-rolling, with Miller as the first casualty.
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